Baalim- an Infernal Lineage

[Raistlin]

after all, who has said that the molten gold wasn't poured upon an unfortunate victim to make themselves a new prophet?

I remember the protagonist of Servant of the Bones by Anne Rice also endured that process.
Anyway, you should consider that origin for the Baalim: as failed man-made gods and walking testaments about the dangers of idolatry.

[LostLight]

So, they are like a Lineage of Golden Calfs, right?

actually, I honesty haven't thought at all about the Golden Calf while writing them. The similarity isn't surprising, however, considering that the Calf was a reference for the ancient Canaanite religion. I do think that the Golden Calf may be an interesting potential origin story for them, with the ancient Israelite creating themselves a god in the absence of Moses- if not the all emphasis of melting gold and silver to do so under Aaron's guidance in order to find guidance in the absence of Moses would sound so Amirani that it hurts (after all, who has said that the molten gold wasn't poured upon an unfortunate victim to make themselves a new prophet?)

[Raistlin]

So, they are like a Lineage of Golden Calfs, right?

[Nicolas Milioni]

ok then,just checking.

[LostLight]

Do you plan to keep adding to this?

once I'll have time, I plan to finish and update them to 2e. It is in my "to do" list, even though it has some other items in it.

[Nicolas Milioni]

Do you plan to keep adding to this?

[LostLight]

added Disquiet.

[Reaper Verse]

If you're still in need of a Humour for the Baalim, there are some unofficially accepted 5th Humours known as "Supine" and "Leukine". Supine individuals have tears as their fluid and are considered to be very anxious and dependent on others. They are also very withdrawn and prefer to avoid confrontation with others. Leukine individuals have white plasm (presumably white blood vessels or plasma) and are considered very balanced and neutral, a grey zone within all the other Humours.

[LostLight]

yep- that was the direction I was thinking about

[SunlessNick]

It seems to me that Disquiet should be about temptation - giving into it, hating yourself for doing so, and blaming the Promethean for making you do so. Sort of like the lustful aspect of the Galateid Disquiet, but broadened to other aspects of sin or "sin," rather than to other aspects of self-image.

[LostLight]

added Progenitor stories :P

[LostLight]

Awesome!

An idea about the humor - it may be Ichor. It has the double nature of being "godly" and dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichor

"Ichor originates in Greek mythology, where it is the ethereal fluid that is the Greek gods' blood, sometimes said to retain the qualities of the immortal's food and drink, ambrosia or nectar.^[1] It was considered to be golden in color, as well as lethally toxic to mortals."

"In pathology, "ichor" is an antiquated term for a watery discharge from a wound or ulcer with an unpleasant or fetid (offensive) smell.^["

Thanks for that! I've tried to think about an Humor for them, but my mind went blank. Ichor is a great name for their Humor

[Baroqo]

Awesome!

An idea about the humor - it may be Ichor. It has the double nature of being "godly" and dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichor

"Ichor originates in Greek mythology, where it is the ethereal fluid that is the Greek gods' blood, sometimes said to retain the qualities of the immortal's food and drink, ambrosia or nectar.^[1] It was considered to be golden in color, as well as lethally toxic to mortals."

"In pathology, "ichor" is an antiquated term for a watery discharge from a wound or ulcer with an unpleasant or fetid (offensive) smell.^["

[LostLight]

so, once there was a discussion in here about creating a group of "ephemeral lineages" in the same way there was a thought about making an HazMat lineages. While there was some discussion on the threat whether there should be such a thing, it did made me think about creating the "missing one"- with the Dreamborn correspond to astral beings, Ulgan for spirits and two fan made lineages for angels and ghosts, the only one which wasn't covered was an infernal lineage.

That lineage isn't made to be part of the "ephemeral lineages". If you like that system, you could see it as the representative of infernal demons among them. If you like it but don't like the idea of a group of lineages connected to ephemera feel free to use it in any way you'll like.

p.s- this is Weekly Project, so I'll contribute new material weekly.

Baalim

Description: The existence of the so called "Baalim" is a little known fact. Very few among the prometheans, not to mention regular people, have heard about that elusive lineage. According to the rumors, the Baalim are living gods, dead bodies stitched together in order to grant an idol to worship to a pagan tribe. Others claim a darker origin for them, claiming they were made by demons who whispered a diabolic spell in the ears of a future Demiurge and where first born from the human sacrifices made by the occultist to the infernal god. There are even stories which connect them to no other but the biblical Nimrod, who was torn apart by beasts and was then returned to life by his followers top serve as a god and a king. The reason for those rumors is not only because the Baalim are rare and few- but because the members of that lineage lie to those they meet. Most of them don't do it on purpose- they were also been lied to by their makers, and their makers' makers, and so on and so on. No one knows if they are old or new, if they came from the east or the west. Yet, in all of the different stories, there is one common fact- that the Baalim were made in order to be worshiped. They are not man made men, but man made gods! They carry a divine spark in their hearts, a stolen fire from the heavens! Sure, the world rejects them and their worshipers sometimes turn upon them, but one day the world will accept them as the gods they are.

But this is also a lie.

The Baalim aren't gods. Yes, they are meant to be worshiped, but they by themselves serve.. something. They don't need to do so consciously- by their very existence and nature they serve their primordial maker. It is still alive, through all of those years, and it watches its "children" tenaciously. However, some of them turn upon their nature and seek for a way to undo their situation, to find a New Dawn and become human, not gods. Those are looked as fools by the rest of their kin- after all, why should they give up on their godhood just because life is bit ruff?

That's because they don't know the truth. That they are truly not like the rest of the Created. That the fire in their hearts is not divine at all.

Hell also burn with fire, after all.

Progenitor: No one knows for sure how or when the Baalim has came to existence. Unlike the other Lineages, even they don't agree about their creation story, with each prefers the ones which represent which works the best for his own cult. Actually, it is a known practice that the same Baal change his own origin story when he moves to a new town and gather a new cult, for it seems that even they don't care about their true origin.

Still, there are three prominent stories among the Baalim. The first is based around the Canaanite myth of Baal and Anath, with certain modifications. According to the story, Baal was a king of old Canaan, chosen by the Gods themselves. During that time, he wasn't yet called Baal, for he may have been a king but he wasn't a lord, yet his true name has been forgotten by the mists of time. The king was so great, that he was worshiped as a living god- yet unlike the gods, he was mortal.

One day, he was assassinated by his political rival, who hid the body in his house so masses would think he left them. However, his sister wasn't a fool, and she tracked her dead brother down and brutally killed the murderer. In her sadness, she prayed for the gods, wishing to bring her brother back as the god he was in order to lead his people- and the gods answered, making the king into the first Baal- a god trapped in mortal flesh.

Others prefer a more monotheistic story- they tell about Nimrod, the first man to defy god who ruled over a great kingdom. He created many lesser idols in an attempt to make his own gods, yet failed again and again for stone and clay weren't an appropriate homes for the essence of the gods. When he was killed by Esaui in battle, his lieutenant has taken the body and called the gods to give it life and make it a true god- and by be becoming the first Baal, Nimrod discovered the right tool for the heavenly fire- human flesh.

Finally, more modernists Baalim track their origin to Gilles de Rais- the one to become the Bluebeard of the legends, has lost all of his fortune and was heartbroken after the death of Joan of Arc. Seeking for a way to achieve his lost glory, he has started to learn the mysteries of the Occult, serving a demonic being named as Barron. According to the demon's wishes, he killed children in a complex and twisted process, yet he was captured and executed, believing that everything he worked on was a lie- when actually, the only lie was that he would get his money back. The children has returned to life, becoming the first among the Baalim.

Finally, among the Argentum of the Lineage, there is another story- according to that, the true origin of their Lineage is truly hideous- they are the creation of a cunning demon from hell, who whispered in the ears of countless worshipers a secret ritual to give it an hold in the human world by taking part of his essence mixed with the fire of hell and put it into a dead body. Each Baal is a tool in the hands of the demon in order to advance its plan to free itself from the inferno, and when enough Baalim will be gathered around the world and turn it into an Hell upon Earth, it will be free. The identity of the demon is unknown, and some whisper that it is an archdemon- if not Lucifer himself.

The reason the last story is the scariest is because it means that the Baalim aren't prometheans at all- they are simply something so similar, that no one can tell them apart. That may explain why the Baalim don't have the urge to become mortals, which brings up an even scarier possibility- for if they aren't true prometheans, do they have the hope of becoming mortal in the first place?

Other Nicknames: Idols, Devils, Tricksters

Appearance:

Disfigurement:

Humor: Ichor (???)

Element:

Bestowment:

Refinements: Most of the Baalim are Centimani. Living in the lie that they are living gods, they don't search after a way to become human. They revile in the way the world treat them, and lie to themselves in order to explain why everything dies around them- the world can't handle their divinity, they say. Man's weak mind can't stand their glorious aura. Their self destructive urge comes from the fact that their divine essence is bound in such a weak tool of human flesh. Even those who hate the world for not accepting them believe try to corrupt the world instead, making in like an hell on earth. They don't understand why the majority of the prometheans search after a way to lose their status as gods and live as a regular man. No, it is better to stay as they are and be worshiped by their twisted cults. Their self lies are so strong, that they view the creation of pandorans as an holy act, a creation of tools which carry their divine spark, while the creation of other Baalim is a mistake done by trapping another god in dead flesh- which could be either an ally or a rival.

Those who free themselves from those lies and search after a way to redeem themselves usually follow the tents of Stannum or Ferrum, which are the closest thing they find to their own false education. Experiencing self torment and perfecting one's body are, after all, part of the Baalim's culture- just not in order to become human. Those who go a step further choose top become a Cuprum, and seek to understand who they truly are and how they could be a part of the world. The rare radical few who want to cut any ties to the rest of their kin choose Aurum, the most hated Refinement upon the majority of the Baalim. There are almost no members of that lineage among the Mercurius, and those who do choose it don't usually stay in it for too much time. The Refinement's close connection to Pyros makes them feel.. weird.

The Refinement of Argentum should get a special mention. Unlike the rest of the Refinements, those who belong to it aren't despised by the majority of the lineage. While they still pursue humanity, their knowledge on the rest of the World of Darkness makes them into a very interesting target for the Centimani- which is unfortunate for the mystics, for if they'll try to resist when such a member would "come to visit" the Centimani won't hesitate to torment them and feed them to his pet pandorans until they'll tell him everything he wishes to know. For that reason the members of the Argentum keep a low profile. Most who become a members of the Refinement do so after discovering a part of the true origin of their lineage, which is usually expressed as interest in demonology and infernalism- and this, in turn, makes them into outcasts even among their own Refinement.

Torment:

Disquiet: The mainstream Baalim refuse to recognize the fact that they project Disquiet. The Disquiet means that the "life" of the promethean is a mistake, that there is something wrong in their very existence. Accepting that would mean that the very philosophy of the most of the Baalim is wrong and that they aren't really gods in human flesh- and so they deny it. They claim that the weird behaviors of their worshipers is made because the human mind can't grasp the divinity of their gods, and that if sometimes a cult goes out of control and tries to sacrifice their own Idol- well, things like that happens. It is totally natural, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Only, that it's not like that.

The Disquiet of the Baalim is a trap, meant to lure those who project it to their death. In the very moment the Disquiet takes effect, those touched by it would find the Idol.. irresistible. They would look at her and think that the Idol is the most perfect being in the world, something so great that its very existence is too much. They are drawn to her, tempted by her- but once she'll pass, the self hate would start- thinking she could never be theirs for being so great.

After a while, the temptation would draw them closer to the Baal. They would seek her company, wishing to stay with her for all the time. However, that attraction won't come from love or some higher self, but from the most basic urges of the individual. Some would find the Idol sexually attractive. Others may wish for her help, being too lazy to do things by themselves. Some will wish to gain something from the company of the Idol, being sure that if they would stand near the Baal those around them would see them as great as the Idol. However, those pleasures are all temporary- once the Baal is away, the self hate would start- someone would start asking himself why he is attracted to that man? he isn't gay! Someone else would start hating himself for letting the Baal to deal with all of his problems, making himself wonder if its ok to give a total authority on his life for someone else. They start wish to see the Baal again- for only she when she is around things look happy again. She knows what to do. She'll help. She always help.

The next step is different than the other Disquiets in that there is a split among those who suffer from it, depends on the moment in which the Disquiet moves to that stage.

Those who were around the blissful presence of the Baal would start feeling that the only way to live their life is according to the will of their Idol. They would see themselves as her rightful servants, lacking any capability to do things by themselves. They need her, must have her- without her, all of their life seems to be meaningless. They would do anything she wants them to do- just that she would help them in their life. They would give her sacrifices ("gifts") in exchange for her help, with each such sacrifice and ask for help representing the worshiper's most inner desires and vices. They would truly see the Idol as a living god- but the worship is not without problems. Suddenly, after being so close to the Baal, they would start seeing that it isn't as perfect as they once thought- she can do mistakes. She sweat. She needs food and breath. She can die. The faithful would start fear that one day, they would lose their god- and so they become even more obsessive for her, while searching for a way to make their Idol into a "real god".

On the other hand, there are those who suffer from that level of the Disquiet while in their self loath. Suddenly, they realize that their life aren't that great, but corrupted. They live in sin, and that everyone around them are also trapped in that sin. They hate themselves for their corrupted life and try to punish themselves again and again for their wrong deeds. They come the the conclusion that the source of their suffering is the Baal, and that only because of her they surrendered themselves to their sins. And if it isn't bad enough, it seems that everyone around them is also corrupted by the powers of the Idol, giving themselves to her. Society becomes corrupted, and only they can stop it.

The final stage of the Disquiet is also split, with each evolves from the previous incarnation of the Disquiet. While both sides are dangerous, each has a different goal- which sometimes could create an internal strife which would allow the Baal to escape. Whoever would win in that "small civil war", both sides would loose- and the scars from that strife (which usually ends with blood) may last for years.

The first group is those who come from the faithful. Suddenly, the cultists come to a conclusion- the problem with their god is that it is trapped. They should free her from her flesh and allow her to ascend to the Heavens, making her immortal again. Someone, usually the high priest, comes with a suggestion for a special ritual, and the other cultists follow. They search after their god and capture her, preparing for the great ritual- it may be with fire and may be with blade. It may be their god by herself or by adding others to help her in the Heavens. Whatever it would be, the point is the same- they must kill their god, so she would never leave them.

The second group is made from those who deny the Idol. They recognize her evil and wish to purify themselves and their whole society by destroying her. The gather others who can see through her tempting guise and go to a crusade to destroy her. If they hear about the ritual, than things would become even more worse- for they must kill the god before she'll ascend, or else her evil would effect the world for all eternity. At any case, this rarely ends without drawing blood- for the cultists would protect their god with their last breath, even if it is simply to kill her by themselves.

Those are the curses of the Baalim. Temptation. Sin. Strife. Death.

Wasteland: